Dawning Hope
by QueenBtchoftheUniverse
Summary: Harry knows that he can't have Draco. He's known that for ten long years. With the dawn of maturity, will time turn his desire into a reality? And more importantly, will the Wizarding World accept their love?


Note: This is a collaborative effort that I made in part with a dear friend of mine. She wishes to remain anonymous, but I would like to state that without her, this would not have been possible. You make anything possible, girl. Here's looking at you, kid.

…

He started to pen the letter but then incinerated it in frustration. It was the same letter that plagued his sleep with all the unsaid words it held captive. The thing was ten years in the making, and if it didn't get written sooner or later he felt like his insides would come spitting out of him. And that didn't mean he would have to send it. No way.

With that decision made, he picked the quill up once more and pushed his fingers through the tangled forest on top of his head.

_Dear Draco,_

_How are you? _

_The weather has been nice lately._

_You've been on my mind._

_I love__ Your hair is nice._

_I miss you. All the times you bullied me back in school, they were horrid. I used to hate you and how you always knew what to say, but now I miss it. What I wouldn't give to have those days back again. _

_I Think I sort of love you._

_Yours, Harry_

He sighed and pushed back from the desk in his chair. He stood and slouched toward the bed. Tomorrow was going to be a fresh start, and he needed to be prepared.

…

Draco listened to the clock tick…tick…tick. Alone in his room, he was unsettled by how quiet it truly was. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Standing, he picked up a well-worn Gryffindor scarf. He slowly fingered the frayed material, and thought of its previous owner.

How is he?

Frustrated, the blonde-haired young man shoved the memento under his mattress and jogged out of the room. Perhaps he could catch a glimpse of a certain man at the dining hall.

…

Everything was just how he remembered it, except perhaps a little less large. That tended to happen when a person grew. He could still by no means touch the top of the momentous doorway that led to the dining hall.

All of the professors were at the head table already, watching the students file in. McGonagall stood to welcome them all in, and Harry could just see a spot of pale silver hair at the far end of the table.

McGonagall's speech was the last thing on his mind, loathe as he was to admit it. He should pay attention to her, he really should. He worked for her after all, he should set an example of attentiveness for the students.

But him.

Oh, him. He would turn or flick his head and that hair would leap. It would cavort and sing like the mane of a unicorn, which was probably the stupidest thought to ever pass through his brain.

The people were leaving. Where was everyone going? He must have spaced out for far longer than intended.

Draco was the only one left, lifting a pale eyebrow at him.

Dear Merlin.

Was he coming over to talk to him?

"Why hello, Harry, old..._friend_," Draco sneered. He never knew why he was always so mean to the poor lad, but something about the scarred boy heated him up, causing him to act rather than dwell on his kind eyes, warm smile, rumbling laugh…

"Uh…" he blushed and cast his eyes downward. Draco was as beautiful as he was intimidating, and right now he felt as though the silver boy was a dragon that he had to face alone, weaponless, and without any underwear.

Wasn't Harry just the cutest thing? His blushing face was endearing, and much different from Draco's own stern look. Perhaps one day he could teach Harry to be a little less shy and express himself more…

"Has my beauty stunned you? Left you speechless? I know I have that effect on the fine ladies of this backward school, but now you too?" Draco smirked.

He opened his mouth to protest. Hermione and Ron had gone off on separate career paths, so there was no one left to defend him but himself.

"Shut your trap Malfoy, haven't you got better fantasies to wank off to?" He stood to leave and shoulder checked Draco on his way out.

Draco glared after harry until he disappeared from sight, then rubbed his shoulder. Maybe there was some toughness within the boy-wonder after all.

…

Malfoy was much too busy the next few days to see more than a quick glimpse of his sweet little lonely boy. When they did meet, it was a…hotter encounter than the two knew what to do with.

It all started in Draco's private washroom. Harry's pipes had burst from the cold weather and he had no idea who to go to for repairs. The house elves had no clue about plumbing, he was too shy to ask any of the other professors for help (he himself had no magical knowledge of mending pipes), and McGonagall was out of the question (saves the Wizarding World but has no engineering use? Such a shame, boy). So that's how he ended up at Draco's door at two am, stinking from three days absence of a shower and muttering and blushing furiously.

Draco was just about to turn off his lights when he thought he heard a soft sound coming from just outside his door. Grabbing his wand, he crept to the knob and threw the damn piece of wood open.

Lo and behold, there stood Harry Potter, smelling absolutely rank with red, puffy eyes. He looked as if he were about to burst into tears.

"What the hell happened to you?" Draco was quick to rush him into his room, looking around the halls to make sure no one was watching Harry go inside his private domain at two in the morning.

"My water pipes can't fix the house elves."

This was such a bad idea, why was he even here? Draco would scorn him to death and he'd never hear the end of it. Now he couldn't even look him in the eye, and he smelled like a rank pair of socks to boot.

This was just the stroke of luck he needed! But Draco knew that he must tread carefully or he'd scare Harry away.

"Why don't you use my shower and I'll call up a few friends of mine who owe me a favor to either fix your pipes or give me the right spell."

Harry looked shocked at how well Draco understood the situation, but nodded slowly and followed him to the bathroom.

"Towels, soap, shower," Draco pointed to each and then gave Harry a sly wink. "Don't think about me too much while you're in there."

He rolled his eyes but was too grateful to send back a snarky comment. Just as Draco was about to leave the room, he stopped him.

"Thank you," he said, for once meeting the other man's silver gaze and meaning it with every ounce of his body.

"I just didn't want you stinking up my doorway!" Draco replied smoothly and gently closed the door behind him. If he looked into Harry's eyes much longer, he'd need a cold shower himself.

If he hadn't been looking into his face, Harry would have missed the blaze of fire in Draco's eyes and just taken his words at face value. He tried, he really tried his hardest not to think of the blonde as he removed his clothes and stepped into the shower. Tried not to think that he was just a few steps away with his pouting lips and shining hair. His shoulders looked broad and strong, capable of holding anything. It was a good thing that Draco liked to just sleep in his boxer shorts, otherwise he never would have known about his slim hips and firm buttocks. The robes that they wore left much to the imaginations, and imagine it often, he did. The warm water sliding over him was such a relief, and it almost felt like smooth hands running over his body. Harry whimpered before he could stop himself, then slapped a hand over his mouth. He wasn't even gay! He kissed girls frequently, because apparently they all loved heroes.

He didn't want to invite Draco's scorn.

…

Draco couldn't get the thought of Harry using his shower out of his head. He wanted to go in there and help him rinse the three days of built up grime off of his muscular but generally hidden body. He wanted Harry's eyes zeroed in on his once again unblinking, unflinching, and unbelievable gorgeous, as usual.

And he had tried several times, he really had. But then a crumpled shirt blocked his way, so he had to stop and fold it and all fourteen of its mates that were likewise lying on the floor. And sweet Merlin! A certain red and gold scarf peeked out from the edge of his mattress. He had to decide what to do with it quick like and in a hurry. He ended up just stuffing it in his underwear as he heard the bathroom door open.

…

Harry cleared his throat and nodded to Draco on his way out. It made him too uncomfortable to thank him more than once, like he was pandering or something. So he just left. He had some serious wood to take care of anyway that thank-Merlin, his robes covered. It just would have been too strange to release himself in Draco's shower.

Draco sighed. He felt like he had missed his chance. Potter had been all alone with him, and there was an obvious spark between both of them. He knew that they each had longingly looked at the other's mouths and Draco hadn't missed the not-so-subtle glance of his boxer-clad buttocks that Harry had aimed at him.

Soon they would end this little game of cat and mouse.

…

True to his word, Harry found his pipes fixed the very next day after teaching defense against the dark arts. It wasn't a very necessary class, but Hogwarts was not going to miss the chance of having The Chosen One teach their students. He went to shuffle some papers on his desk as they all filed out.

That's how he missed Esmeralda Goulding standing right in front of him. She didn't say anything, so he nearly had a heart attack when he looked up to find her there. She was probably the second hottest professor at Hogwarts.

"You sure are hard to get, Harry Potter." She cocked her head and smiled at him with her red lips. "I don't think you got any of the sultry looks I've been sending you, so I figured I should be a little more forward." It was true, he had completely missed anything to do with this attractive woman. His attentions had been fixed solely elsewhere.

She came around his desk to sit on his lap, legs wrapped around him. Harry tried to swallow the thickness from his throat, but could only manage to stare stupidly at her. Then out of the corner of his eyes he caught the frozen face of Draco. His heart broke for him, tearing into jagged shards that punctured his breathing. He couldn't bear it, but he also couldn't bear having that same face looking at him with disgust if he learned of his buggery. So he met Esmeralda's lips with his so fiercely that he hoped to pound himself into straightness.

Draco could only watch his love interest and that whore of a professor for a few seconds before he knew that he needed to leave. But just before he left Harry's room, he remembered the type of man that he was. No longer was he a wimpy boy who followed Father's orders. The Dark Lord had no hold over him either; he was a free man. He turned on his heel and tried to walk towards the two as nonchalantly as possible.

"Harry, would you like me to come later to show you that new spell that magically fixes…uh, pipes?"

Stupid! Draco felt he needed to brush up on his lying skills. But he had to roll with his excuse to get this chick away from Harry.

"I know we agreed on five pm, but if you're busy—," Draco began.

"Really Mr. Malfoy, I thought you had more decorum than that," said the dark haired woman. Her eyes were half closed and full of confidant expectancy for fulfillment. "You can reschedule with Harry for another time." She even smiled to top off her condescension.

Harry just gaped at the two like a fish. Esmeralda was being rude and presumptuous, but it was better for her to turn away Draco than him. He could easily dismiss the look of disappointment as sorrow for not getting his way to hold his skills over Harry's head.

"I'm surprised you're sitting on his lap so carelessly, any student could walk in at any second and then the entire school will hear about this. Harry is a respectable young man with a good reputation. Although I can't really say the same about you, Esmer-slut-a."

She was about to open her mouth to fire back when Harry cut her off.

"Miss Goul…Esmeralda, would you be so good as to let us talk for a few minutes?" He said out loud. Then he added directly into her ear to wait in her quarters for him, he wouldn't be long. She smiled and got off of his lap with a flounce, shooting Draco a triumphant smirk as she passed.

Suddenly all of his authority was gone once he was alone with a certain beautiful man. He glared at his shoes with all of his words flying out the window.

"What's all this about, Potter?" Draco spat out. "I thought we've moved past these games and were on the same page now. Does she really appeal to you or are you just trying to hide your true feelings? I don't want to compete with a woman, especially one like her." He gazed at Harry, feet firmly planted on the floor, steeling himself for Harry's words. "Did that kiss even turn you on?"

Harry was stunned, he never expected Draco to return his feelings from all of his harsh insults. Based on that, this was probably some ploy to make him confess his deviancy. Draco would not stop at anything to lord it over him, ruining his reputation and shocking the Wizarding World. He left his chair to stand tall directly in front of the pale man.

"Yes," he said slowly. "Now if you don't mind, I would like to get back to what we started. Honestly, who do you think I am, a freak? I appreciate your help, but I have other matters that need attending to tonight."

Just as he was about to walk out of the room, he paused to shoot over his shoulder, "Oh, and Malfoy. I would be careful of just who you make your accusations to. One might get the wrong impression of the dutiful Heir of Slytherin."

Malfoy seethed with raging hot anger. Harry had only taken a step before Malfoy tackled the asshole to the ground.

"Why, isn't this comfy?" Malfoy laughed tauntingly as he ground Harry's face into the stone floor.

The pair struggled for dominance, both trying to crush the other. This went on for some time with exchanged grunts and a ripping of cloth, until Malfoy felt a hardness prodding into is hip. He slyly looked Harry straight in the eyes, and said, "It seems you're enjoying this just as much as I am." At his words Harry seemed to freeze.

He was trapped with nowhere to run, figuratively and literally since Draco was pinning him with his weight. There was no denying his own arousal…or Draco's He looked up at him with fear plain on his face. He almost couldn't dare to believe the reality of the situation.

"Malfoy…I, I…" Was he ever going to be able to complete a sentence around this man?

"Shh, there's no need for words," Draco murmured, slowly inching toward Harry. Their mouths were only a few inches away, and he planned to eliminate that distance. Harry's eyes were growing larger and larger with the slow progression of Draco's lips. The anticipation was killing him, he'd been waiting for this moment for years!

Their lips barely touched in the lightest of kisses. There was no rushing torrent of lust, just the pure wish for two people to touch another, to express pent-up feelings the only way they knew how.

Harry lifted himself into the kiss, arching his back to fully meet Draco everywhere. The non-existent space between their bodies left no room for doubts or fears or questions. This smug, arrogant man was so sweet, unbearable like spun sugar. He loved him more now than ever before.

"Harry, when—oh!"

Both their heads snapped up to find Esmeralda and a few students stunned in the open doorway. It was quiet for a second, then some were babbling and others were calling for professor McGonagall. Harry looked into Draco's silver eyes and tried to convey his apologies in advance.

"Get off of me, faggot!"

Draco was stunned. He truly had no idea what to say, which was undoubtedly a first for him. He recovered quickly though.

"Who are you calling a faggot? You stopped breathing, I had to try something, and it apparently worked. Now, let me get up so you can thank me for saving your sorry ass," said Draco.

Some of the students looked appeased, but Esmeralda was still very suspicious.

"Why did Harry supposedly need CPR?" She asked skeptically.

"Harry was trying to drown the taste of your meaty lips with some of Hogsmead's best hard candy and ended up choking on some. I got the candy out but Harry wasn't breathing very easily, so I did what any other person in this situation would do; I saved him."

"Yeah," Harry chimed in. "I would be dead if you hadn't intervened, but I'm alright now." His words were bland, but the sincerity of his gratitude was not. He hoped Draco knew that. He also hoped Esmeralda wouldn't kill him.

He approached her slowly, shepherding her into the room and away from prying eyes.

"Look, I'm really sorry about earlier. I have a girlfriend you see, and I was just missing her so badly that I couldn't resist you."

She looked disgusted rather than assuaged, so he decided to toss in, "Besides, my endowment is very abnormally small, my tongue muscles aren't too strong, and I always give up on trying to find a woman's clitoris."

He was satisfied with her pallor, but not her trembling rage.

"I saw you Potter, and I know something's going on here. Full body contact isn't necessary for cardio pulmonary resuscitation, and the recipient shouldn't look so blissed for just having choked, should he?" She lifted her brow as Harry paled in turn.

…

"Why don't we finish what we started a few minutes ago? But somewhere more private," Draco asked Harry. It had been a close call, and he couldn't believe how gullible the young students were. These were the future leaders? Ha! If they could actually swallow his false story that quickly then they had much to learn. Draco thought people just wanted to believe what was easiest for them to accept. And seeing two male professors making out was not something many wizards thought about, or perhaps wanted to see.

Harry closed the doors before surprising Draco with a tight hug.

"I want to, Merlin do I want to Malf…Draco. But I'm afraid, so afraid. Esmeralda knows, I'm certain she does. We could lose our jobs, our places in the community, and maybe even our lives." He pulled away slightly to make sure that Draco was looking at him. "I can't lose you."

"Sometimes we need to do what we want, and not allow other people to dictate our actions. I don't want either of us to be in danger, but you are well respected and I am well known within the wizarding community. Both of us have powerful friends. We'll be fine. But we should tread carefully, especially if Esmeralda knows about us," Draco said.

"Okay." Harry was partly calmed by Draco's strokes on his back. "We do have more influence than her, that's true. But we will have to hide for the rest of our lives. We can't ever live together or make a life together for ourselves. We'll have to get girlfriends or at least sleep around or something. Two highly eligible, available men are bound to be suspicious." He wanted to pace to ease his worries, but being held by the man that he loved felt too wonderful.

"We'll figure something out, but for tonight let's just enjoy ourselves, yes?"

He wanted to argue for reasons of safety and caution, but his resolve crumpled quickly when Draco's lips met his and his hands travelled exactly where Harry wanted them. Sweet fucking Merlin, he was already boiling in his clothes. Draco only had to breathe, and Harry was turned on like a switch. He quickly encased his wrists with his hands in order to concentrate enough to Apparate. Distracted Apparation might cause them to arrive in an undesirable place, like his old Gryffindor common room. Instead, he took them to Draco's bathroom, where it all began and certain desires were left unfulfilled.

"I'm going to finish what I started, Draco. Now take off your clothes, bitch."

"Bitch? Shouldn't you be my bitch?" Draco winked, then proceeded to slowly take off his robe, shirt, and then slacks. He watched as Harry's eyes devoured the bits of now visible skin. Draco threw the offending pieces of clothing to the bathroom floor and stepped closer to Harry.

"Why don't you join me in the shower?" Pulling off his boxers, he gracefully walked away, giving Harry a perfect view of Draco's toned ass.

He could only stare after him like the daft idiot that he was as Draco began soaping his body, running his hands slowly all over. Draco caught him staring and winked again, fully aware of his effect. Harry was so besotted that he walked fully clothed into the shower, pulling Draco flush against him and his mouth.

"Mmm." Draco accepted Harry's kiss and moved to deepen it. Their tongues danced, bodies held unbelievable close to one another while they groaned.

Finally, Draco separated their mouths and began to laugh. This entire experience was surreal. Then he noticed Harry struggling to press closer to him in his soaking wet clothes.

"What're you laughing at?" Harry pushed him against the shower wall and groaned. He tried to grind his hips against the other man's, but his shoes kept slipping and searching for purchase on the wet tile.

"Just that I need to get you out of these clothes before I explode," Draco said breathlessly. He began to slowly slide down Harry's body until he was crouched at his feet. Then he started to undo Harry's trousers until he noticed that there was nothing underneath them.

"No boxers?" Draco asked, happily surprised.

Harry blushed but managed to keep his voice calm. "You should try it sometime, very refreshing." He quickly rid himself of the garment and his footwear, stripping until he was fully nude. He was pleased by the look on Draco's face, immediately absolving any remaining shyness. It felt right to be with him this intimately, at his most naked and vulnerable.

Draco grabbed the soap and began to lather it all over Harry's smooth body. He paid special attention to his chest, tracing the firm indentations, then slowly rubbed lower and lower. This was wonderful, so close. He couldn't help but to give butterfly kisses all along Harry's stomach.

He was being so incredibly gentle with him that Harry wondered how long Draco had actually been returning his interest. This foreplay was maddening him to the point of insanity, they weren't damn women. He wanted roughness from Draco, so he set about showing him what he wanted. He hauled him up by the armpits and pressed his chest into the frosted glass.

"Who's the bitch now, Draco?" He breathed hot and heavy into his ears, pressing his erection into that wonderful backside and fisting Draco's straining need.

"I am!" Draco groaned, loving the feel of Harry against him. It was strange at first, but quickly become wonderfully erotic. Harry started to pump, and Draco shuddered.

"Grab some lotion or something," Draco muttered. Water wasn't going to be enough for what he needed. He turned and found Harry's lips. Instead of kissing them, he bit the young man's lower lip none too nicely.

The pain spurred Harry on, and he soaped up his own member, forgoing Draco altogether. He reached around to squeeze Draco tight, balls and all.

"That wasn't very nice, Darling. I missed the part where I was supposed to care." He gave him another emphatic squeeze to get his point across.

"Um…ah…" Where the heck were his words? The feelings at first were overwhelming; painful and not at all what he imagined it to be like. Then the friction began to feel pleasurable and he slowly began to move with Harry. He felt so connected to him, and he wanted, no, _needed_ this closeness. Harry's grip on his member tightened, and Draco suddenly had to take deep breaths to stop himself from coming.

Harry could feel Draco's ass and balls tighten simultaneously. He could also feel him panting from the strain of holding in his orgasm. Bloody bastard, he was actually getting off on Harry's maltreatment of him. He only increased his rhythm between Draco's cheeks. He pinched the quivering man's head between the nails of his thumb and forefinger, loving the sound of his moan.

Draco screamed. Then he spurted all over the glass while Harry flooded his back.

They slumped, breathing hard; Draco's hands splayed on the glass, Harry's wrapped over his torso. He showered kisses over every inch of skin made available to his lips.

"Damn Potter, I didn't know you had that in you." Draco let one hand slip to cover Harry's.

"Honestly, neither did I."

They went to bed content that night, for once feeling complete in a way that had gone unfulfilled for so long that they didn't even know they needed it until now. Tomorrow would come at its usual rate, but they would spend whatever time they had together in the best way possible.

…

"Just ignore her, you're only going to make her angrier if you keep giving her death glares."

"I can't help it if my facial expressions give her the idea that I want to cut off her head and stick it up her money maker, there could just be an offensive smell or something." Still Draco didn't let up on his staring. Looking away first would convey weakness, which was not in even one drop of his blood.

Harry made some sort of noise of disapproval, but Draco wasn't paying much attention. Esmer-slut-a was challenging him with the raised tilt of her head. He was never one to back down on a challenge.

As soon as he rose from his chair, the witch copied his movement and left the dining hall. Draco was in close pursuit with Harry trailing behind, hissing his protests.

With the students all eating breakfast, the halls were pretty much bereft. They had little trouble securing a private location. Esmeralda spun on her heel, turning to pin the two with her stare. They froze where they were, and she broke out her coquettish smile.

"So boys, get some good sleep last night?"

"Cut the bullshit, witch. What do you want?" Draco was fed up with her after half a minute of her company.

Her smile didn't falter, but her eye twitched. "Alright, let us dispense of any and all bull-shittery. I've come to make a proposition that I believe will satisfy both parties."

Being a shrewd business man, Draco's ears instantly perked up. Turns out being the son of his father did have some uses after all. "We're listening."

She licked her ruby lips and smoothed a curl of hair between her fingers. "I propose to make a deal between the three of us. I'm willing to pledge secrecy on my knowledge—under the unbreakable oath—in return for having a service rendered to me."

"What is it that you're requesting?"

"I want to watch."

"Excuse me?" Harry hadn't said anything, but Draco could see him shift out of the corner of his vision. It looked as if he had a light sheen of sweat as well.

"I would like to watch you fuck Harry Potter, Mr. Malfoy." Damned if the bitch didn't waver, her eye contact never lowering. Draco wondered in which orifice she stored all of her supreme confidence.

"Wouldn't you like to, but I'll tell you just exactly where—"

Harry made a pained noise and murmured Draco's name. That made him pause and consider the repercussions. If they didn't accept, all of Harry's fears would be realised. He couldn't bear the thought of him being hurt because of a missed opportunity. It didn't even have to be a long screw, just something quick to shut the bitch up.

He turned to whisper, "Harry, are you sure? We don't have to do this if you don't want to. We'll find some other way to compromise."

For just a split second, his lover looked unsure. That was all the impetus he needed.

"Come to a decision yet?"

Draco looked back at her and thought of all the different ways he could make her fat head implode. "Request denied, Esmer-bitch-a. Now if you would be so inclined, please locate the nearest broomstick and go fuck yourself."

Both parties appeared to be stunned by Draco's decision, but as expected, the witch was the first to recover.

"Fine Mr. Malfoy, if that is what you would like. Only be aware that I will not be held accountable for my actions." Damn! The woman was like ice. She exuded nothing, no emotion, no thought, no giveaway. And damn him if that made him want to curl into a ball and cry.

She reminded him of his father.

But he hadn't lived this long without learning to survive. His strength was enough to see her gone and around the corner, then he collapsed onto Harry's shoulder and wept.

…

"Can anyone tell me what I need in order to complete this potion? I'm looking at you, Johnathan Greenblatt."

"The tears of a unicorn, sir. They are called for because the complex environment of this potion can only be solved by the tears of the purest creatures on earth."

"Excellent, ten points to Slytherin. You are all dismissed."

The class cheered as they all hurried out of the room. No doubt they would be wanting to gather the remaining rays of the fall term. They didn't notice the tall professor with a disheveled mop on his head fighting his way through them. Couldn't care less as he grabbed their potions professor by his robe and then drug him into the potion master's office. They did however miss the grappling of clothes as each tried to tug the other closer still to him.

Harry practically mauled Draco's face off, and Draco responded in kind.

"Hey, what—" Harry cut Draco off by dragging his face back to him.

"wait" Nope.

"Ngh" and "moomph" were his last attempts at words. Harry was doing something exquisite to him with his tongue. It made him forget the reason he had ever formulated for wanting to break from that talented mouth.

When at last they had to stop or else pass out from lack of oxygen, Draco remembered what he had started to say earlier.

"You've found your old scarf!" The thing was currently being used to lever his body closer to Harry's.

Harry just broke into a wide grin. "No kidding, pervert. I found it among your dirty laundry this morning when I was looking for something to wear. When were you planning to admit that you stole from me?"

"Hey now, I didn't steal anything. It's not my fault that you just leave your crap lying around, and—"

A warning knock was offered at the door before professor McGonagall came striding in.

"Professors Potter and Malfoy, I daresay you have some explanations to come forth with. A member of the staff has made dire accusations against you two, and now there is a fleet of concerned parents at the door."

"Professor McGonagall, this isn't what it looks like."

"You see…"

"I don't care if it's a striped hippogriff that can't spell the alphabet backwards. I want you two to deal with the situation at once. I have no knowledge of your activities, so expect no assistance from me." With that, she went back into the classroom and through the door. The crowd of people that instantly swarmed her left no question about who they were or who they were after.

Draco turned to face Harry and slipped the scarf from his fingers. He wound it around his beloved's neck, knotting it in place. "There, now you're ready. Come now, add a little color to your cheeks. Let's go and show them who we are."

Draco expected Harry to be crying, biting his nails, shivering in trepidation. Anything. What he got instead warmed his heart. For the life of him, he would never understand the strength of the man before him.

Harry took Draco's hand, and together they pushed open the door to face the world.

…


End file.
